The Sociology of Nina Simone
SOC 322
Spring 2022
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01
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An artist, activist, and visionary, Nina Simone possessed both a talent and political platform that continues to permeate discussions inside and outside the walls of academia. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, Simone was trained as a classical pianist that would eventually travel the world to perform music that encompassed the struggles of black life. This course acknowledges that her music, with pieces such as "Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" undoubtedly made social, cultural, and political contributions to American society. However, much of Simone's personal life, including her battles with racism, sexism, and mental illness, as well as her relationships with her contemporaries, like Lorraine Hansberry and Miriam Makeba, is often eclipsed by and not considered alongside with her body of work. This course will examine Nina Simone as a whole person, wrought with contradictions, that poured her life experiences into her music, often at the expense of her own success. This class will: sociologically examine the emergence of such a person by interrogating the social environments that impacted her views on social justice; deploy black feminist and womanist analytical frameworks to deeply understand how white supremacist capitalist patriarchy may have taken a toll on Simone's career, but ignited her passion to speak truth to power; and utilize cultural and sociological paradigms of framing, stratification, and symbolic interaction to fully understand the sociology of Nina Simone. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS SOC |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: SOC151 |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (SOC) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Less than 50% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Nina Simone with Stephen Cleary, I PUT A SPELL ON YOU: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF NINA SIMONE
Guthrie Ramsey, RACE MUSIC
Angela Davis, BLUES LEGACIES AND BLACK FEMINISM
Alan Light, WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?
Shana Redmond, ANTHEM
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Examinations and Assignments:
There will be 3 reflection papers, weekly music journals, and a final paper 10-12 pages |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
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| Instructor(s): Patterson-Faye,Courtney J. Times: ..T.... 01:20PM-04:10PM; Location: BOGH114; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 2 | GRAD: 1 | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 0 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 8 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 2 | 4th Ranked: 2 | Unranked: 3 |
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